Minna no Nihongo Elementary 1: Lesson 5 vocabulary review
Cover the meaning, recall the word, then read its example. Return to the lesson audio and passage when you cannot explain its use.
Review this lesson
- Read the Japanese and recall its meaning before checking the translation.
- Use the example to check how the word fits a sentence. Explain the distinction in the learning point.
- Open the lesson reader, listen, and note words you still confuse. Revisit them tomorrow.
Lesson vocabulary
京都
Kyoto
週末に京都へ行きます。
I'm going to Kyoto this weekend.
Learning point
京都 is きょうと; keep the long vowel in きょう.
行きます
go
学校へ歩いて行きます。
I walk to school.
Learning point
Use へ or に for the destination and で for the means of transport.
タクシー
taxi
駅からタクシーに乗りました。
I took a taxi from the station.
Learning point
タクシーに乗る means get into a taxi; タクシーで gives the means of travel.
帰ります
return; go home
六時に家へ帰ります。
I'll go home at six.
Learning point
帰る refers to returning home or to a place you belong, rather than every kind of return.
家族
family
家族と旅行します。
I travel with my family.
Learning point
家族 refers to family members; 家 emphasizes the house or home.
来ます
come
友達が家に来ます。
A friend is coming to my house.
Learning point
来る moves toward the speaker or narrative viewpoint; 行く moves away to another place.
奈良
Nara
奈良で友達に会います。
I'll meet a friend in Nara.
Learning point
奈良 is a place name read なら.
新幹線
Shinkansen; bullet train
新幹線で京都へ行きます。
I'll take the Shinkansen to Kyoto.
Learning point
Use で for this means of travel; check the train name and service category on your ticket.
何時
when
いつ日本に来ましたか。
When did you come to Japan?
Learning point
Here 何時 is read いつ and asks when; なんじ specifically asks the clock time.
―月
… month
四月に学校が始まります。
School begins in April.
Learning point
April is しがつ, July しちがつ, and September くがつ.
何月
which month
誕生日は何月ですか。
What month is your birthday in?
Learning point
何月 is なんがつ; ask 何か月 for a duration in months.
―日
… day; date
十五日に帰ります。
I'll return on the fifteenth.
Learning point
Dates use a number plus 日; many dates from the first to the tenth have special readings.
何日
which day; how many days
旅行は何日ですか。
How many days is the trip?
Learning point
何日 can ask a calendar date or a number of days; context distinguishes them.
誕生日
birthday
誕生日に本をもらいました。
I received a book on my birthday.
Learning point
誕生日 is a birthday; a full date of birth is 生年月日.
電車
train
電車で会社へ行きます。
I take the train to work.
Learning point
電車 usually means an electric train; 電車で行く is common for commuting by train.
甲子園
Koshien
甲子園で野球を見ました。
I watched baseball at Koshien.
Learning point
甲子園 is こうしえん; it names an area and often refers to its famous baseball stadium.
どうもありがとうございました。
thank you very much
手伝ってくれて、どうもありがとうございました。
Thank you very much for your help.
Learning point
The past form thanks someone for completed help; ありがとうございます is also used when thanking them now.
どういたしまして。
you're welcome
どういたしまして。また来てください。
You're welcome. Please come again.
Learning point
This is a set reply to thanks; いえいえ is also common in familiar conversation.
―番線
platform number …
電車は三番線から出ます。
The train departs from platform three.
Learning point
番線, read ばんせん, labels a station track or platform.
次の
next
次の電車は何時ですか。
What time is the next train?
Learning point
次の modifies a noun; 次に introduces what happens next.
普通
local train
普通で行きます。
I'll take a local train.
Learning point
In transport, 普通 usually means a local service; elsewhere it means ordinary or usual.
急行
express train
急行はこの駅に止まりますか。
Does the express stop at this station?
Learning point
Service categories differ by railway; do not assume 急行 stops at every station.
特急
limited express
特急の切符を買いました。
I bought a ticket for the limited express.
Learning point
特急 is a service category; whether an extra limited-express fare is needed depends on the route.
スーパー
supermarket
スーパーで野菜を買います。
I buy vegetables at the supermarket.
Learning point
スーパー is the common shortened form of スーパーマーケット.
バス
bus
バスで駅へ行きます。
I'll take the bus to the station.
Learning point
Getting on is バスに乗る; getting off is バスを降りる.
地下鉄
subway
地下鉄で帰ります。
I'll go home by subway.
Learning point
A subway station is also 駅; 地下鉄 specifically means the subway system.
自転車
bicycle
自転車で学校へ行きます。
I cycle to school.
Learning point
Use 自転車に乗る for riding a bicycle and 自転車で for the means of travel.
友達
friend
友達と映画を見ます。
I'll watch a film with a friend.
Learning point
Use と for a companion; 友達に会う uses に for the person you meet.
来週
next week
来週、日本へ行きます。
I'm going to Japan next week.
Learning point
来週 usually takes no に; 来週の月曜日 specifies next Monday.
先月
last month
先月、引っ越しました。
I moved last month.
Learning point
先月 is せんげつ, corresponding to 今月, こんげつ, and 来月, らいげつ.
今月
this month
今月は忙しいです。
I'm busy this month.
Learning point
今月 means the current calendar month, not the next month counted from today.
先週
last week
先週、奈良へ行きました。
I went to Nara last week.
Learning point
先週 refers to last week; completed actions normally take a past form.
学校
school
毎朝、学校へ行きます。
I go to school every morning.
Learning point
学校 is the school or institution; 教室 is a classroom or class.
飛行機
airplane
飛行機で帰国します。
I'll return to my country by plane.
Learning point
飛行機で gives the means of travel; 飛行機に乗る means board a plane.
九州
Kyushu
家族は九州に住んでいます。
My family lives in Kyushu.
Learning point
九州 is the Japanese region Kyushu, read きゅうしゅう, not a freely combined number and suffix.
船
ship; boat
船で島へ行きます。
I'll go to the island by boat.
Learning point
船 is ふね; 船に乗る means board or ride a boat.
駅
station
駅で友達を待ちます。
I'll wait for my friend at the station.
Learning point
駅 is a railway station; a bus stop is usually バス停.
歩いて
on foot
駅まで歩いて行きます。
I'll walk to the station.
Learning point
Use 歩いて for traveling on foot, without adding で.
彼女
she; girlfriend
彼女は銀行で働いています。
She works at a bank.
Learning point
彼女 may mean she or girlfriend; context supplies the relationship.
彼
he; boyfriend
彼は学生です。
He is a student.
Learning point
彼 can mean he or boyfriend; using a name is often clearer in an introduction.
人
person
あの人は先生です。
That person is a teacher.
Learning point
人 alone is ひと; after a country name it is usually じん.
一人で
alone; by oneself
一人で旅行します。
I travel alone.
Learning point
一人で means without a companion; do not replace で with と.
三日
the third; three days
三日に出発します。
I'll leave on the third.
Learning point
三日 is みっか; it can mean the third of the month or three days.
十四日
the fourteenth; fourteen days
十四日に帰ります。
I'll return on the fourteenth.
Learning point
十四日 is じゅうよっか, retaining the よっか reading of 四日.
来年
next year
来年、日本で勉強します。
I'll study in Japan next year.
Learning point
来年 is the next calendar year; 一年後 is one year from now.
来月
next month
来月、友達が来ます。
My friend is coming next month.
Learning point
来月 is らいげつ, not らいがつ.
今週
this week
今週は毎日働きます。
I work every day this week.
Learning point
今週 is こんしゅう and means this week.
去年
last year
去年、日本に来ました。
I came to Japan last year.
Learning point
去年 is usually きょねん; 昨年 also means last year.
―年
… year
二〇二六年に卒業します。
I'll graduate in 2026.
Learning point
年 follows a year or a number of years; 四年 is よねん.
何年
which year; how many years
何年に日本へ来ましたか。
What year did you come to Japan?
Learning point
何年 can ask a calendar year or duration; with に it often asks the year something happened.
大阪城
Osaka Castle
大阪城へ行きました。
I visited Osaka Castle.
Learning point
大阪城 is おおさかじょう; 城 reads じょう here.
六日
the sixth; six days
六日に会いましょう。
Let's meet on the sixth.
Learning point
六日 is むいか, not ろくにち.
十日
the tenth; ten days
十日に旅行から帰ります。
I'll return from my trip on the tenth.
Learning point
十日 is とおか; keep the long vowel in とお.
九日
the ninth; nine days
九日は休みです。
The ninth is my day off.
Learning point
九日 is ここのか, unlike 九時, くじ.
一日
the first of the month
一日に出発します。
I'll depart on the first.
Learning point
For a date, 一日 is ついたち; a duration of one day is usually いちにち.
そうですね。
that's right; let me think
そうですね。電車で行きましょう。
That's right. Let's go by train.
Learning point
This can express agreement or give time to think before answering, depending on tone.
八日
the eighth; eight days
八日に友達が来ます。
My friend is coming on the eighth.
Learning point
八日 is ようか, distinct from 八歳, はっさい.
四日
the fourth; four days
四日に帰国します。
I'll return to my country on the fourth.
Learning point
四日 is よっか, with a small っ.
二日
the second; two days
二日に京都へ行きます。
I'll go to Kyoto on the second.
Learning point
二日 is ふつか and can also mean a duration of two days.
五日
the fifth; five days
五日まで休みます。
I'll be off until the fifth.
Learning point
五日 is いつか; keep it distinct from いつ, when.
七日
the seventh; seven days
七日に試験があります。
There is an exam on the seventh.
Learning point
七日 is なのか, not しちにち.
二十日
the twentieth; twenty days
二十日は誕生日です。
My birthday is on the twentieth.
Learning point
二十日 is はつか, distinct from 二十歳, はたち.
二十四日
the twenty-fourth; twenty-four days
二十四日に会議があります。
There is a meeting on the twenty-fourth.
Learning point
二十四日 is にじゅうよっか, retaining よっか at the end.
今年
this year
今年、日本語を勉強します。
I'll study Japanese this year.
Learning point
今年 is ことし, the current year; 今年度 refers to the current institutional or fiscal year.
These study examples and learning points support review. They do not replace the textbook; meanings follow the lesson context.